Capital Markets in Asia: Trends and Developments

Capital markets play a crucial role in enhancing economic competitiveness by providing essential financing for new businesses, supporting the expansion of established firms and fostering the development of emerging industries. Over the past few decades, Asia has rapidly developed its public equity markets. Today, the region is home to nearly half of the world’s listed companies, representing one-third of global market capitalisation. Similarly, corporate bonds have become a vital alternative source of funding for non-financial companies in the region. Corporate bond issuance in Asia has grown substantially, accounting for 15% of global issuance in 2000 and rising to 40% in 2024. Capital markets in Asia have also provided increasing financing opportunities for high-growth companies.  

However, despite these developments, bank financing remains the dominant source of funding in the region. The region also exhibits a diverse capital market landscape, with significant disparities in the level of development across economies. This session will provide an overview of the key findings and policy recommendations from the OECD Asia Capital Markets Report 2026. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session.